Thursday, 14 November 2013

Fragrance Review: Diptyque L'Ombre Dans L'Eau

L'Ombre Dans L'Eau ("Shadow in the water") is a female fragrance from 1983, based on the unusual and beautiful harmony of black currant leaf and Bulgarian rose. It incorporates notes of Bulgarian rose, cassis, black currant, bergamot, ambergris, musk and mandarin orange.

This is my impression of L'Ombre Dans L'Eau...

Listening to chill wave, drinking a full glass of ice water then spritzing Diptyque L'Ombre Dans L'Eau is what I would call "Shadow in the water"

The dreamy, shoegazing sounds of whispers and synth touch on the icy feel of the water and aromatic qualities of L'Ombre Dans L'Eau. The music is like a soft shadow, starts off melodiously with celery and black currant leaf notes. Purely green - a naturopath's paradise. Five minutes in, a violin ensemble of budding roses and black currants bewitches the consciousness. Offbeat yet so softly feminine. The bundles of black currants are sour, unripe and organic, neither candied nor syrupy. The black currants never overpower, always subdued with the timbre of black currant leaf and cassia. The transition from middle notes to dry down is simply enthralling. The rose and black currant lose their character as woodsy ambergris and classical musk stirs, as if the freshness had dematerialized. L'Ombre Dans L'Eau lingers from morning to twilight for a full 7 hours, and flourishes with medium to heavy sillage.

L'Ombre Dans L'eau is an abstract yet down to earth experience of sorts. Best enjoyed with a glass of chilled water on a clear, early summer's day.